Building block



Oct. 3, 1939. u M. E. FREEMAN 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1939.M. E. FREEMAN 2,174,875

BUILDING BLOCK Filed Feb. 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenio'.MZZe-SlfieemW A iiorneyl Patented Oct. 3, 1939 uNiTEo sr TENT OFFICE 3vClaims.

My invention relates to improvements in building blocks for constructingwalls.

\ The primary object of the invention is to provide inexpensive,durable, moulded blocks adapted for the building of walls and the makingof corners with or without the use of mortar or cement and whereby awall structure may be built up with a heat and cold insulating air spacethroughout the same.

Another object is to provide building blocks of the character and forthe purpose above indicated and adapted for building walls with a spacethroughout the same which may be easily packed with insulation material.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and subordinate objectspresently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has beenillustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in thesucceeding description and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of a wallbuilt up of buliding blocks constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of one of the side wall blocks.

Figure 3 is a view in bottom plan.

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation.

Figure 5 is a view in top plan of one of the corner blocks.

Figure 6 is a View in side elevation of the corner block looking at theinner side thereof, and

Figure '7 is a view in bottom plan of said corner block.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the blocks of my inventioninclude side wall blocks I and corner blocks 2 adapted to be laid end toend in layers and which will now be described in detail.

The side wall blocks I are substantially rectangular, hollow structuresopen at the top and end thereof and including a bottom 3 and side walls4, the latter being rabbeted, or undercut, along the side edges thereof,as at 5, to provide a reduced bottom key part 6 fitting into the top ofa preceding block. The side walls 4 are rabbeted along the upper edgesthereof, as at 1, to provide internal shoulders 8 extending along saidside walls for seating said key part 6 whereby the upper block fitsflush on top of the preceding or lower block. One end of each block I israbbeted around the bottom" 3 and side walls i thereof, as at 9, toprovide a key extension Ill around said end, and at the opposite end ofsaid block the side walls 4 are rabbetedinternally,

as at II, whereby when the blocks I are laid end I to end the extensionIQ of one fits into the rabbeted end II of the other and said blocks arethus keyed together end to end. The side Wall blocks I are laid instaggered relation in alternate layers or rows so that the key part 6 ofthe blocks of a higher row span the keyed together ends of the blocks Iof a lower row and thus interlock with two lower blocks therebyadditionally keying all three blocks together.

The corner blocks 2 are L shaped and open at their top and end, saidcorner blocks each including a bottom I2 and side walls I3. Each cornerblock 2 is also rabbeted, or undercut, along the side edges of itsbottom, as at I4, to provide a reduced bottom key part I5 on said bottomfitting into the top of a lower corner and side Wall block, the sidewalls I3 of the corner blocks 2 being rabbeted along the upper sideedges thereof, as at I6, to form internal shoulders H for the samepurpose as shoulders 8 of side wall blocks I. Also one end of eachcorner block 2 is rabbeted, as at I8, around the bottom I2 and sidewalls I3 to provide a key extension I9 on said end fitting into therabbeted end II of a side wall block I, and the other end of each cornerblock 2 is rabbeted internally, as at 20, to receive the key extensionIn of a side wall block I. As will be understood, the corner blocks 2are made in reverse formation for laying in staggered relation with theside wall blocks I. Also each corner block 2 has a cross web 2| forminga continuation of one short side wall I3 of the block and an extensionof the adjacent shoulder I? thereof. At suitable points, the cornerblocks 2 may be scored transversely, as at 2!, to simulate a juncture ofside wall blocks I and for a purpose which will be apparent.

As will now be seen, the blocks I and 2 of my invention provide in awall structure built up thereof horizontal conduits, as at 22, extendingfrom corner to corner and completely closed. These conduits 22 providefor insulating the wall both against heat and cold and also providechannels which may be filled, in the building of the Wall, with anysuitable insulation material. Another advantage of the conduits 22 isthat they may be used for housing electric wires if desired. Thedescribe-d blocks are preferably formed of glass.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modificationwithout departing from the inventive concept and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall fairly within the scope of thesubjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A building block of the type to be laid in superposed rows end toend, said block being open at the top and ends thereof and comprising abottom and parallel side walls, the bottom being rabbeted along the sideedges thereof to provide a reduced key part on said bottom for fittingbetween the side walls of a subjacent block, the side walls beinginternally rabbeted to provide shoulders extending along the upper edgesthereof for seating the key part of a superposed block, said blockhaving at one end thereof a key extension for fitting into the open endof another block, the other end of the block being internally rabbetedto receive a key extension of another block.

2. A building block of the type to be laid in superposed rows end toend, said block being open at the top and ends thereof and comprising abottom and parallel side walls, the bottom being rabbeted along thesideedges thereof to provide a reduced key part on said bottom for fittingbetween the side walls of a subjacent block, the

side walls being internally rabbeted to provide shoulders extendingalong the upper edges thereof for seating the key part of a superposedblock, said block having at one end thereof a key extension for fittinginto the open end of another block, the other end of the block beinginternally rabbeted to receive a key extension of another block, andsaid block being L-shaped for constructing corners.

3. A building block of the type to be laid in superposed rows end toend, said block being open at the top and ends thereof and comprising abottom and parallel side walls, the bottom being rabbeted along the sideedges thereof to provide a reduced key part on said bottom for fittingbetween the side wallsof a subjacent block, the side walls beinginternally rabbeted to provide shoulders extending along the upper edgesthereof for'seating the key part of a superposed block, said blockhaving at one end thereof a key-extension for fitting into the open endof another block, the other end of the block being constructed andarranged to receive a key extension of another block, 7

MILES E. FREEMAN.

